Charlie Christian: Short Life

A survey of Christian's musical legacy with critical comment on all known recordingsCharlie Christian is a seminal figure in jazz guitar playing, generally reckoned to be the turning point form the use of the acoustic to the electric instrument. Mitchell argues persuasively that in spite of his influence, Christian was neither the first jazz guitarist, nor the first to amplify the instrument.

Christian became famous for his work with Benny Goodman, and the subject of legendary anecdote concerning his contribution to the development of modern jazz through his playing at largely undocumented jazz sessions at New York's Minton's Playhouse. As a consequence of his early death and unrealised promise, Christian's brief life is one in which it is hard to extract fact from fiction. Mitchell sets out the historical record of Christian's life (including a recording chronology that extricates details of original performances from many discs where theses were "spliced" into longer pieces) and surveys his musical legacy with critical comment on all known recordings. Both general and academic readers interested in jazz, jazz history and appreciation will welcome the book.